Johnette Stevens works on an algebra problem on the board in Mr.Ballou's class.
Students in Mr.Ballou's algebra class at De Anza High School in Richmond to accompany several stories on test scores and No Child Left Behind 7/20/05 in Richmond,CA.
KURT ROGERS/THE CHRONICLE MANDATORY CREDIT FOR PHOTOG AND SF CHRONICLE/ -MAGS OUT less

Johnette Stevens works on an algebra problem on the board in Mr.Ballou's class.
Students in Mr.Ballou's algebra class at De Anza High School in Richmond to accompany several stories on test scores and No Child ... more

Photo: KURT ROGERS

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Gilberto Depaz and Joelbert Dennis work out Algebra problems .
Students in Mr.Ballou's algebra class at De Anza High School in Richmond to accompany several stories on test scores and No Child Left Behind TESTXX_0039_kr.JPG 7/20/05 in Richmond,CA.
KURT ROGERS/THE CHRONICLE MANDATORY CREDIT FOR PHOTOG AND SF CHRONICLE/ -MAGS OUT less

Gilberto Depaz and Joelbert Dennis work out Algebra problems .
Students in Mr.Ballou's algebra class at De Anza High School in Richmond to accompany several stories on test scores and No Child Left Behind ... more

Photo: KURT ROGERS

Image 3 of 3

STATE'S STUDENTS DO BETTER ON MATH AND ENGLISH TESTS / THE CHALLENGE: Most remain below their grade level

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More public school students scored at grade level or above this year in English and math than at any time in the five-year history of the comprehensive California Standards Test, according to new results from the state Department of Education.

Included in that encouraging news is that, for the first time, the percentage of students scoring at grade level in every group -- ethnic, gender, economic, language and disability -- improved since last year in English and math.

"California's system of school accountability is clearly working," said state Superintendent Jack O'Connell, who announced the test results Monday. He acknowledged, however, that most students still score below grade level.

In English, 40 percent of California students scored "proficient" or "advanced" on the rigorous exam, up from 35 percent last year, and 31 percent in 2001. "Proficient" is considered to be scoring at grade level.

In math of all kinds -- from arithmetic to algebra and geometry -- 38 percent of students scored at grade level, up from 34 percent last year and 32 percent in 2001.

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The California Standards Test was given last spring to more than 4.8 million students in grades 2 through 11. It measures students' skills in English, math, high school history, grade 5 science and high school general science, earth science, chemistry, physics and biology.

The improved performance stands in sharp contrast to that of last year, when California students set a record for stagnation or falling behind.

The only explanation, O'Connell said, is that last year's disappointment led to a redoubling of efforts to improve test scores. This year, Bay Area school districts mirrored the upward statewide trend.

While such traditionally high-scoring districts as Piedmont, Novato and Palo Alto improved their performance since last year, so did the low-scoring districts.

In English, for example, students scoring at grade level or above since last year rose from 27 to 31 percent in Vallejo, 25 to 30 percent in West Contra Costa, 25 to 30 percent in Hayward, 21 to 25 percent in Oakland, and 14 to 18 percent in East Palo Alto's Ravenswood Elementary district.

S.F. above state average

In San Francisco, the rate in English was 45 percent at grade level, up from 40 percent last year and from 32 percent in 2001.

For all levels of math, 46 percent of students scored at grade level, up from 40 percent last year and from 34 percent in 2001.

Superintendent Arlene Ackerman could barely contain her joy as she announced that San Francisco's success rates in English and math not only exceeded the statewide average this year but had left California's other large urban districts in the dust for the fifth straight year.

In Los Angeles, for example, fewer than 30 percent of students scored at grade level in math, and fewer than 40 percent did so in Sacramento and San Diego.

"I'm beyond ecstatic," said Ackerman, who learned the news while driving home from the office last week.

Data director Ritu Khanna called Ackerman's cell phone and told her that Latino students scoring at grade level in elementary math had shot up by 15 points, to 31 percent, since 2002. In English, the rate rose 8 points to 24 percent.

Also since 2002, black students scoring at grade level in elementary math improved 9 points to 21 percent. Their rate in English rose 6 points to 19 percent.

Targeted schools improve

The capper, Khanna told the superintendent, was that 42 of the district's 44 "star" schools -- those targeted for improvement -- improved performance since last year, suggesting that whatever they were doing was working.

As she heard the news, Ackerman said she laughed out loud, turned her car around and returned to the office, where she and Khanna glowed over the numbers until the sun went down.

"We were dancing and hugging each other," Ackerman said.

The California Standards Test is no off-the-shelf set of simple questions. The concepts it measures have been chosen by the state Board of Education for their rigor -- something that has drawn applause from advocates of higher standards, such as the businesses that will one day employ graduates, and criticism from others who say the state's exams are needlessly difficult.

Racial gap persists

Russlyn Ali, director of Education Trust West, a research group in Oakland focused on closing the achievement gap between whites and minorities, favors the test and its high standards. Although she called the gains of low- income and nonwhite students "hugely encouraging," Ali is dismayed that the gap has hardly changed over the years.

In English, for example, 58 percent of white students scored at grade level this year, compared with 27 percent of black students -- a 31-point gap. Both groups improved from five years earlier, when 48 percent of whites and 18 percent of blacks scored at grade level. But the achievement gap was slightly narrower then -- 30 points.

"We know what it takes to make sure students achieve," Ali said. "If we give low-income and high-minority schools the best teachers, more dollars and more access -- if we close the opportunity gaps -- the achievement gaps will close."

Helping those who struggle

Around the state, many districts are taking even more specific steps to help the lowest performers improve. Teachers are studying data about individual children and adjusting their teaching based on what they see.

San Francisco is one of those districts. Ackerman has identified 44 "star" schools where scores have been low and teacher turnover high. There, in addition to the state's yearly exam, students are given smaller tests several times a year to identify strengths and weaknesses.

Then, coaches help teachers tabulate the results to determine which children need help where and how to give it to them.

In Oakland, where students scoring at grade level rose from 29 to 35 percent in elementary math since last year, similar changes have occurred. Like San Francisco, the district believes it is reaping the benefits of reading and math curricula that are consistent from school to school -- something few administrators thought important in years past -- and letting schools make their own financial decisions in certain areas.

"We're excited at the results," said Randy Ward, the state administrator who runs Oakland schools. "All ethnic groups have advanced. And we're real confident we can continue this momentum."